Etana (𒂊𒋫𒈾, E.TA.NA) was the probably fictional thirteenth king of the first dynasty of Kish. He is listed in the Sumerian King List as the successor of Arwium, the son of Mashda, as king of Kish. The list also calls Etana "the shepherd, who ascended to heaven and consolidated all the foreign countries", and states that he ruled 1,560 years (some copies read 635) before being succeeded by his son Balih, said to have ruled 400 years. The kings on the early part of the SKL are usually not considered historical, except when they are mentioned in contemporary Early Dynastic documents. Etana is not one of them.[1]
A Babylonian legend says that Etana was desperate to have a child, until one day he helped save an eagle from starving, who then took him up into the sky to find the plant of birth. This led to the birth of his son, Balih.
In the detailed form of the legend, there is a tree with the eagle's nest at the top, and a serpent at the base. Both the serpent and eagle have promised Utu (the sun god) to behave well toward one another, and they share food with their children.
But one day, the eagle eats the serpent's children. The serpent comes back and cries. Utu tells the serpent to hide inside the stomach of a dead bull. The eagle goes down to eat the bull. The serpent captures the eagle, and throws him into a pit to die of hunger and thirst. Utu sends a man, Etana, to help the eagle. Etana saves the eagle, but he also asks the bird to find the plant of birth, in order to become father of a son. The eagle takes Etana up to the heaven of the god Anu, but Etana becomes afraid in the air and he goes back to the ground. He makes another attempt, and finds the plant of birth, enabling him to have Balih.
So far, versions in three languages have been found. The Old Babylonian version comes from Susa and Tell Harmal, the Middle Assyrian version comes from Assur, and the Standard version is from Nineveh.[2]
Analysis
Folklorist scholarship recognizes that the tale of Etana helping an eagle fits into the Aarne–Thompson–Uther tale type ATU 537, "The Eagle as helper: hero carried on the wings of a helpful eagle".[3][4][5][6][7] It has also been suggested that the myth of Etana originated the folk-type of later oral tradition.[8][9]
^Marchesi, Gianni (2010). "The Sumerian King List and the Early History of Mesopotamia". M. G. Biga - M. Liverani (Eds.), ana turri gimilli: Studi dedicati al Padre Werner R. Mayer, S. J., da amici e allievi (Vicino Oriente - Quaderno 5; Roma): 231–248.
^Annus, Amar. (2009). "Review Article: The Folk-Tales of Iraq and the Literary Traditions of Ancient Mesopotamia". In: Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 9: 87-99. 10.1163/156921209X449170.
^Annus, Amar & Sarv, Mari. "The Ball Game Motif in the Gilgamesh Tradition and International Folklore". In: Mesopotamia in the Ancient World: Impact, Continuities, Parallels. Proceedings of the Seventh Symposium of the Melammu Project Held in Obergurgl, Austria, November 4-8, 2013. Münster: Ugarit-Verlag - Buch- und Medienhandel GmbH. 2015. pp. 289-290. ISBN 978-3-86835-128-6.
^Aarne, Antti; Thompson, Stith. The types of the folktale: a classification and bibliography. Folklore Fellows Communications FFC no. 184. Helsinki: Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 1961. p. 193.
^Uther, Hans-Jörg (2004). The Types of International Folktales: A Classification and Bibliography, Based on the System of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson. Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, Academia Scientiarum Fennica. p. 313. ISBN 978-951-41-0963-8.
Gurney, Oliver (2011). "A Bilingual Text Concerning Etana". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland. 67 (3): 459–466. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00087153. S2CID 162559350..
Koubková, Evelyne. "Fortune and Misfortune of the Eagle in the Myth of Etana". In: Fortune and Misfortune in the Ancient Near East: Proceedings of the 60th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale Warsaw, 21–25 July 2014. Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbraun. 2017. pp. 371-382. ISBN 978-1-57506-465-9
Streck, Michael (2009). "Notes on the Old Babylonian Epics of Anzu and Etana". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 129 (3): 477–486. JSTOR 20789423..
Valk, Jonathan (2021). "The Eagle and the Snake, or Anzû and bašmu? Another Mythological Dimension in the Epic of Etana". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 140 (4): 889–900. doi:10.7817/jameroriesoci.140.4.0889. S2CID 230537775..
Winitzer, Abraham (2013). "Etana in Eden: New Light on the Mesopotamian and Biblical Tales in Their Semitic Context". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 133: 441–465. doi:10.7817/JAMERORIESOCI.133.3.0441..
etana, singer, musician, 𒂊𒋫𒈾, probably, fictional, thirteenth, king, first, dynasty, kish, listed, sumerian, king, list, successor, arwium, mashda, king, kish, list, also, calls, shepherd, ascended, heaven, consolidated, foreign, countries, states, that, ruled. For the singer see Etana musician Etana 𒂊𒋫𒈾 E TA NA was the probably fictional thirteenth king of the first dynasty of Kish He is listed in the Sumerian King List as the successor of Arwium the son of Mashda as king of Kish The list also calls Etana the shepherd who ascended to heaven and consolidated all the foreign countries and states that he ruled 1 560 years some copies read 635 before being succeeded by his son Balih said to have ruled 400 years The kings on the early part of the SKL are usually not considered historical except when they are mentioned in contemporary Early Dynastic documents Etana is not one of them 1 Etana 𒂊𒋫𒈾King of KishRuler of SumerFragment of the Epic of Etana Akkadian c 1895 1595 BCKing of the First dynasty of KishReign probably fictional PredecessorArwiumSuccessorBalihIssueBalihThe Myth of Etana Seal impression of the Akkadian Empire period Contents 1 Myth of Etana 2 Analysis 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksMyth of Etana EditA Babylonian legend says that Etana was desperate to have a child until one day he helped save an eagle from starving who then took him up into the sky to find the plant of birth This led to the birth of his son Balih In the detailed form of the legend there is a tree with the eagle s nest at the top and a serpent at the base Both the serpent and eagle have promised Utu the sun god to behave well toward one another and they share food with their children But one day the eagle eats the serpent s children The serpent comes back and cries Utu tells the serpent to hide inside the stomach of a dead bull The eagle goes down to eat the bull The serpent captures the eagle and throws him into a pit to die of hunger and thirst Utu sends a man Etana to help the eagle Etana saves the eagle but he also asks the bird to find the plant of birth in order to become father of a son The eagle takes Etana up to the heaven of the god Anu but Etana becomes afraid in the air and he goes back to the ground He makes another attempt and finds the plant of birth enabling him to have Balih So far versions in three languages have been found The Old Babylonian version comes from Susa and Tell Harmal the Middle Assyrian version comes from Assur and the Standard version is from Nineveh 2 Analysis EditFolklorist scholarship recognizes that the tale of Etana helping an eagle fits into the Aarne Thompson Uther tale type ATU 537 The Eagle as helper hero carried on the wings of a helpful eagle 3 4 5 6 7 It has also been suggested that the myth of Etana originated the folk type of later oral tradition 8 9 See also EditHistory of Sumer Mesopotamian mythology ArattaReferences Edit Marchesi Gianni 2010 The Sumerian King List and the Early History of Mesopotamia M G Biga M Liverani Eds ana turri gimilli Studi dedicati al Padre Werner R Mayer S J da amici e allievi Vicino Oriente Quaderno 5 Roma 231 248 Dalley 189 Annus Amar 2009 Review Article The Folk Tales of Iraq and the Literary Traditions of Ancient Mesopotamia In Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 9 87 99 10 1163 156921209X449170 Annus Amar amp Sarv Mari The Ball Game Motif in the Gilgamesh Tradition and International Folklore In Mesopotamia in the Ancient World Impact Continuities Parallels Proceedings of the Seventh Symposium of the Melammu Project Held in Obergurgl Austria November 4 8 2013 Munster Ugarit Verlag Buch und Medienhandel GmbH 2015 pp 289 290 ISBN 978 3 86835 128 6 Levin Isidor Etana Die keilschriftlichen Belege einer Erzahlung In Fabula 8 Jahresband 1966 1 63 doi https doi org 10 1515 fabl 1966 8 1 1 Aarne Antti Thompson Stith The types of the folktale a classification and bibliography Folklore Fellows Communications FFC no 184 Helsinki Academia Scientiarum Fennica 1961 p 193 Uther Hans Jorg 2004 The Types of International Folktales A Classification and Bibliography Based on the System of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia Academia Scientiarum Fennica p 313 ISBN 978 951 41 0963 8 Ferrer Juan Jose Prat Historia del Cuento Traditional Uruena Fundacion Joaquin Diaz 2013 pp 52 53 footnote nr 96 Hasselblatt Cornelius Gedanken zur finnougristischen Literaturwissenschaft anlasslich eines gemeinsamen Motivs ATU 301 in einem marischen und einem chantischen Roman Juuret marin murteissa latvus yltaa Uraliin Juhlakirja Sirkka Saarisen 60 vuotispaivaksi 21 12 2014 Helsinki Suomalais ugrilainen seura Memoires de la Societe Finno Ougrienne 270 2014 p 114 Further reading EditGurney Oliver 2011 A Bilingual Text Concerning Etana Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain amp Ireland 67 3 459 466 doi 10 1017 S0035869X00087153 S2CID 162559350 Koubkova Evelyne Fortune and Misfortune of the Eagle in the Myth of Etana In Fortune and Misfortune in the Ancient Near East Proceedings of the 60th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale Warsaw 21 25 July 2014 Winona Lake Indiana Eisenbraun 2017 pp 371 382 ISBN 978 1 57506 465 9 Streck Michael 2009 Notes on the Old Babylonian Epics of Anzu and Etana Journal of the American Oriental Society 129 3 477 486 JSTOR 20789423 Valk Jonathan 2021 The Eagle and the Snake or Anzu and basmu Another Mythological Dimension in the Epic of Etana Journal of the American Oriental Society 140 4 889 900 doi 10 7817 jameroriesoci 140 4 0889 S2CID 230537775 Winitzer Abraham 2013 Etana in Eden New Light on the Mesopotamian and Biblical Tales in Their Semitic Context Journal of the American Oriental Society 133 441 465 doi 10 7817 JAMERORIESOCI 133 3 0441 External links EditEtana epic on Encyclopaedia Britannica Dalley Stephanie ed 2000 Etana pp 189ff Myths from Mesopotamia Creation The Flood Gilgamesh and Others Oxford University Press ISBN 0199538360 The Myth of Etana The Assyro Babylonian Mythology FAQ EtanaPreceded byArwium King of Sumer Ensi citation needed of Kishprobably fictional Succeeded byBalih Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Etana amp oldid 1126388832, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
